Below is a partial list of Oregon companies who received Worksite Redesign grants from the Worksite Redesign Program which existed from 1995-2001. This former program offered research and development, and product grants to employers; employer groups; employee groups; and educational institutions/organizations to address workplace safety, health, and ergonomic problems.
We have included the contact person's name, address, and phone number that had on record when the grant was finalized. We also included brief descriptions of each project. This list is presented in an effort to encourage companies to use these solutions in their workplace. Everything presented here is public domain and is available for use or modification by anyone.
If you have questions about a specific project that might be answered by a grantee, feel free to contact anyone on the list.
Bettencourt Transportation Services
Harold R. Bettencourt, President
PO Box 1585
Coos Bay, OR 97420
541-267-5630
Bettencourt Transportation Services created an appropriate floor surfacing material to prevent slips and falls in an environment with heavy vehicle maintenance activities.
Boyd Coffee Company
Jerry Vawter, Coffee Production Manager
19730 NE Sandy Blvd.
Portland, OR 97230
503-669-5412
Boyd Coffee Company is addressing the upper extremity problems associated with repetitive movements while packing bags of coffee into cases, and has developed an automated case packing system.
Brian's Cabinets
Milo Kincaid, General Manager
61527 American Loop
Bend, OR 97702
541-382-3773
Brian's Cabinets manufactures and installs cabinets for residential and commercial markets. They will design and build dolley equipment to reduce the ergonomic impact on workers moving cabinets.
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills Inc.
Sue Benoit, Health & Safety Manager
3200 N. Hwy 99W
PO Box 687
McMinnville, OR 97128
503-434-3280
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills Inc. will develop prototype equipment expanding the use of scissors lift technology to assist workers "Brickers" who install approximately 1,300 fire resistant bricks in ladles used to melt scrap steel. The prototype equipment will incorporate the use of adjustable floor heights that can rotate while workers are installing new 20-25 pound fire resistant bricks in "ladles" that are 10 foot wide and 10 foot deep.
Details and photos of this completed project
Costco (2 projects)
Dale Anderson
999 Lake Drive
Issaquah, WA 97027
425-313-8545
Tire Center - is developing a mechanical assist for positioning tires to prevent low back injuries.
- Bakery - is redesigning cake decorating operations to prevent hand and wrist injuries and illnesses associated with repetitive exertions while squeezing flexible icing containers.
Danner Shoe Manufacturing Co.
Dan Bennett
12722 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR 97230
503-251-1100
Danner Shoe Manufacturing has developed equipment and a method that reduced injury risk to shoemakers who are involved with the toe opening and midsole attachment process.
Durametal Corporation
Hans Harper, Project Engineer
9560 SW Herman Rd.
Tualatin, OR 97062
503-692-0850
Durametal Corporation developed a solution to reduce excessive noise levels from vibrators in a casting operation. The noise levels have been dramatically reduced.
ESCO Corporation (2 projects)
Patricia Bishop, Supervisor of Health Services
ESCO Corporation
2141 NW 25th Ave.
Portland, OR 97210
503-778-6555
- Has redesigned a metal parts packaging operation to prevent low back injuries
- Will redesign hazardous jobs in the pouring and shake-out department
Hewlett Packard (2 projects)
Daryl Meekins, Ergonomics Engineer
1000 Circle Blvd.
Corvallis, OR 97330
541-715-5363
- Reduced the risk of ergonomic injuries arising from lifting 400 lb. heater by developing a special lift
- Will design, test and produce a semiconductor wafer cassette rotator that can be used with existing equipment. The project will ultimately prevent the manual rotation of cassettes which is one of the greatest causes of cumulative trauma disorders in the semiconductor industry
Kaiser Permanente
Tara Ness, Manager Employee Health & Safety Services
2701 NW Vaughn St., Ste. 150
Portland, OR 97210-5398
503-721-3955
Kaiser Permanente an effective safe phlebotomy workstation has been developed to prevent injuries such as needle sticks and sprains and strains while drawing blood.
Kaiser's final report on this project
KDM Incorporated
Leslie I Kaufman, President
2435 SW Timberline Drive
Portland, OR 97225
503-292-0721
KDM Incorporated is a manufacturing company that primarily services the dental industry. They will research and design an arm system with advanced vertical/horizontal movement that can be extended and retracted.
Lamb-Weston Inc.
Christa Vincent, Health & Safety Supervisor
PO Box 109
Weston, OR 97886
541-566-3511
Lamb-Weston Inc. (an Oregon food processor) will develop and install prototype equipment to minimize the manual handling of food product on the "bulk pack" line. The prototype equipment will drop boxes five at a time. This solution will make it possible for workers to eliminate an average of 9440 repetitive motion sequences during an eight hour shift.
Metro Regional Environmental Management Department
Sally Koch, Senior Safety Analyst
600 NE Grand Ave.
Portland, OR 97232
503-797-1853
Metro Regional Environmental operates two permanent hazardous waste collections facilities and off-site collection activities. They will automate the processing of flammable paints and solvents.
Multnomah County Animal Shelter
Mary Boyer, Workers' Compensation Specialist
PO Box 14700
Portland, OR 97214-0700
503-248-5190
Multnomah County Animal Shelter developed an animal handling system to prevent muscular strains and sprains while handling and moving animals.
Multnomah County Animal Shelter final report
Oregon Cutting Systems
Mark Lamey
PO Box 22127
Portland, OR 97269-2127
503-653-4266
Oregon Cutting Systems is developing an automated system to load chain saw guide bars on a paint line hook to prevent repetitive movements, static posture and resulting injuries.
Oregon Cutting Systems final report
Oregon Public Education Network
Tom Cook, Director of OPEN
PO Box 228
Marylhurst, OR 97036-0228
503-675-4065
Oregon Public Education Network CERGOS "Computer ergonomics in schools." Purpose: To prevent injuries and illnesses associated with computer use in the workplace, by teaching appropriate ergonomic habits to students before they enter the workplace.
Oregon State University, Forest Engineering Department (3 projects)
Dr. John Garland
Dr. John Sessions
Dr. Steve Pilkerton
210A Snell Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-5706
541-737-4952
- Plans to test the feasibility of using synthetic rope as a replacement for some wire rope applications in logging.
- Provide operational testing of synthetic rope used in static lines for logging to assess the wear and damage associated with using these ropes.
- Research and develop suitable end connectors for synthetic rope.
Details and photos of this completed project
Oregon Association of Nurserymen
Rita Snyder, Chair Ergo Subcommittee of OAN
2780 SE Harrison, Ste. 102
Milwaukie, OR 97222
503-653-8733
Oregon Association of Nurserymen has identified preferred tools and power sources for pruning and will investigate other optional attachments to prevent repetitive motion injuries.
Pioneer Cut Stock Inc.
Gerry Gerlach, Human Resource Manager
PO Box 340
Prinville, OR 97754
541-447-5962
Pioneer Cut Stock Inc. proposes to institute an Ergonomic Material Delivery System on a wood processing operation to improve ergonomics and efficiency. The solution plans to reduce or eliminate many of the strains, sprains and repetitive motion injuries by combining separate processes, automation, and innovation.
Powder Coat Specialties LLC
Rick Kosta, General Manager
PO Box 1146
Tualatin, OR 97062
503-624-1904
Powder Coat Specialties LLC is a high quality, custom powder coating job shop. They are designing and building a cart that will reduce and eliminate ergonomic problems associated with assembly, racking and unracking.
Professional Mechanical
Mark LaDue, President
6435 Old Salem Rd.
Albany, OR 97321
541-928-7782
Professional Mechanical has developed a prototype mechanical assist for pipe welders. The outcome has addressed exposure to heat, smoke, fume, ultra violet radiation, material handling and ventilation.
Roadmaster
Terry Elstad, General Manager
5602 NE Skyport Way
Portland, OR 97218
503-288-9898
Roadmaster's project addresses grinder noise reduction in the metal fabrication industry. The desired outcome is to reduce noise in the plant environment by using quieter tools, isolating the noisy processes, and making modifications to the overall plant environment.
Roadmasters final report
Spirit Mountain Gaming
Debbie Larsen, Safety Specialist
PO Box 39
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
503-879-2350
Spirit Mountain Gaming's project of games table redesign will reduce the dealers risk of ergonomic injuries while dealing cards.
Sprague Control Inc.
Troy Walker, Manufacturing Engineer
1140 NW 3rd Ave.
Canby, OR 97013
503-263-0554
Sprague Control Inc. will develop a means to automatically test heating/air and ventilation control units to prevent repetitive motion injuries.
Sprague Control Inc. final report
SWO Inc.
Kellie Winchester, VP/Owner
19632 SW 90th Court
Tualatin, OR 97062
503-692-1796
SWO Inc is developing a small powered punch press mounted on an adjustable base. This project is intended to serve as a model for the development of a wide variety of adjustable based tools that can be used for cutting and forming metal parts.
Taylor Metal Products
Janet Taylor, President
PO Box 13999
Salem, OR 97309
503-581-8338
Taylor Metal Products designed a truck/crane setup to remove large panels of metal roofing from flatbed trucks.
Tri Met
Harry Saporta, Manager System Safety Program
4012 SE 17th Ave.
Portland, OR 97202
503-238-4943
Tri-Met developed a durable ergonomic seating for drivers. The purpose is to prevent low back injuries associated with ill-fitting or inadequate bus driver seating.
Tri Met final report
Vanguard Technologies Inc. (2 projects)
Stephen Kujawa, President
29495 Airport Rd.
Eugene, OR 97402
541-461-6020
- Will develop and build an adjustable mobile lifting device that can be used to move, raise and insert heat exchanger coils into heater shells. This project is intended to serve as a model for the development of a wide variety of adjustable devices that can be used to assemble manufactured products.
- Vanguard will develop equipment that will mechanically apply force to bend copper tubing around the winding mandrel.
Washington County-Emergency Dispatch
Larry Hatch, Assistant Director
John Hartsock, Project Manager
17911 NW Evergreen Pkwy.
Beaverton, OR 97006
503-780-4806
Washington County-Emergency Dispatch has redesigned the call taker/dispatch area to prevent back, neck and upper extremity injuries associated with awkward postures in the dispatch and call taking tasks.
Wood Products Competitiveness Corp.
Phil Johnson, Human Resource Manager
3787 W 1st Ave.
Eugene, OR 97402
541-687-0213
Wood Products Competitiveness Corp. developed a new product called the Auto Loader to help load and move wood products allowing employees to maintain proper ergonomic posture. This product was delivered to hundreds of similar Oregon industries and used in many applications.
Woodfold Marco Mfg., Inc.
Kevin Emerick
PO Box 346
Forest Grove, OR 97116
503-357-7181
Woodfold Marco Mfg. produced an automated hinge applicator which prevents repetitive and forceful upper extremity movements while assembling doors.
Woodfold Marco Manufacturing final report